The crop land in Alaska has increased five‐fold in the past ten years. The state includes a relatively large geographic area and the agricultural soils vary considerably from volcanic ash to loess derived soils. The P‐sorption capacities of the soils also are known to vary widely but little data is available on the nature of soil P and the performance of P extractants on these soils. A laboratory and growth chamber study was conducted to investigate the suitability of seven P extractants for use on Alaska agricultural soils. Ten representative soils were collected from the agricultural regions of Alaska, five were volcanic ash derived and five were loess derived. Response of barley (Hordeum vulgare L. var. ‘Weal') to soil test P‐levels was determined in the growth chamber. Soil P levels were established from P‐isotherm curve data and soil P levels were determined using Morgan, Bray 1, Bray 2, Mehlich 1, Mehlich 2, Mehlich 3, and Olsen extracting reagents.